Hand skinner device

Abstract

A hand skinner device for removing strips of skin from animal carcasses comprises an elongate handle including an air motor and having a housing mounted at one end thereof. The housing has a skinning blade supported thereon and a revolvable tooth roll assembly for engaging and pulling the skin against the skinning blade. A pair of uniquely constructed clips clamp the blade downwardly against the housing and clamp the tooth roll shaft upwardly against the housing. The multifunctional clips permit ready assembly and disassembly of the skinning device for cleaning and replacement of parts.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hand skinning device comprising: an elongate handle,   a housing mounted on one end of said handle including a horizontal lower wall portion and a pair of side wall portions,   a tooth roll assembly revolvably mounted on said housing including an elongate shaft and a tooth roll structure journaled on said shaft,   a blade positioned on said horizontal lower wall portion of said housing below said tooth roll assembly, and   clamping means engaging said housing and engaging and clamping said blade downwardly on the lower wall portion of said housing and engaging said shaft to releasably lock the same on the housing.   
     
     
       2. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping means includes a pair of similar clips, each having a blade engaging surface engaging the upper surface of said blade to clamp the same downwardly against said lower wall portion of the housing. 
     
     
       3. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is of one-piece construction, said blade being clamped by said clamping means against said lower wall portion and permitting limited lateral translation of the blade relative to said lower wall portion. 
     
     
       4. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 2 wherein said clips engage said shaft to clamp the same on said housing against axial and rotary movement. 
     
     
       5. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 4 wherein each end of said shaft is provided with a flat surface, said clips being vertically disposed on said housing and each clip having an upper surface engaging said flat surface at one end of said shaft. 
     
     
       6. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 5 wherein said flat surfaces of said shaft each defines a shoulder engaged by one of said clips to prevent axial movement of said shaft relative to said housing. 
     
     
       7. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said clips includes a substantially flat, horizontal blade engaging portion and a substantially flat, vertical shaft engaging portion. 
     
     
       8. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 7 wherein said clips are formed of a non-metallic material. 
     
     
       9. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 4 wherein said tooth roll structure includes an elongate sleeve formed of non-metallic material and having an inner cylindrical surface, a ring gear mounted on said sleeve adjacent the central portion thereof, and a pair of identical, generally cylindrical tooth roll members engaging opposite end portions of said sleeve in fixed relation therewith. 
     
     
       10. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 9 wherein said sleeve is formed of plastic and has a substantially smooth outer surface, each tooth roll member having a plurality of axially extending radially spaced apart splines on the inner cylindrical surface thereof, the splines of each tooth roll member engaging and inscribing the outer surface of said sleeve to lock the tooth roll members thereon against rotation relative to the sleeve. 
     
     
       11. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 2 wherein each clip has an upper surface engaging said shaft to lock the same against axial and rotary movement relative to the housing, and each clip having a lower surface engaging and clamping the blade against said lower horizontal wall portion, but permitting limited lateral movement of the blade relative to the horizontal lower wall portion. 
     
     
       12. The hand skinning device as defined in claim 2 and means on said housing defining a pair of rearwardly extending vertical recesses therein, each recess being located adjacent one side wall portion of the housing, each of said clips having front and rear end portions, the rear end portion of each clip having a retaining element thereon frictionally engaging in one of said recesses in said housing.